Have You Ever Had an Allergic Reaction to Makeup?

Model Lindsey Wixson was having a very good season—walking in a number of big shows and serving as the face of several spring advertising campaigns—until she unexpectedly had to miss the end of Paris fashion week. "I'm coming home tomorrow due to an allergic reaction to the make-up from the day before," the 16-year-old tweeted on Monday.

I've personally never had a bad reaction to makeup, but I've seen it happen. A friend broke out in hives just hours before her wedding. A makeup artist had applied foundation that clearly didn't agree with her skin, and she had red welts on her face, neck, back. Benadryl cleared things up just in time, but it sure wasn't how she planned to spend the last hour before she walked down the aisle. We asked a few dermatologists for some advice on what to do when allergies attack. Here's what we learned:

There are two kinds of allergic reactions. The most common is irritant contact dermatitis, which is when an ingredient causes an irritation to broken or otherwise injured skin. This doesn't need to be a visible cut on your skin; it could be caused by anything from a bit of windburn to an exfoliating cleanser, and you can have this kind of reaction to an ingredient that's never bothered you before. (My friend, for instance, did a dry run with her makeup artist a few weeks before the wedding and had been completely fine with the foundation that was used.) It's less common to have allergic contact dermatitis, which is when you have a particular allergy to a specific ingredient.

In either case, the reaction will probably be the same. "The first thing that happens is the feeling of itching, stinging or burning," says dermatologist Jeannette Graf. "After that, you may experience redness, swelling, blistering, scaling, and peeling."

Immediately remove whatever has been applied to your skin. "Even if you don't see anything but feel burning, itching and stinging, remove the make-up immediately and apply cooling compresses to your skin to relieve the symptoms," says Dr. Graf. If you skin is still itching or you notice red welts, take an antihistamine such as Benadryl or Zyrtec and use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or aloe to soothe your skin.

If the reaction persists for more than a few days or it seems very serious to you, see a dermatologist. "If you wind up seeing your doctor for the allergy, it is really helpful to bring the product and packaging with the ingredient list along to the visit," says dermatologist Ranella Hirsch. "It really helps us to identify the potential culprit, and give you the best advice on what products to avoid going forward." Hirsch notes that fragrance is a leading cause of product allergies, so if you're sensitive, that's something to avoid.